ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – People in one Albuquerque neighborhood are reeling following an officer-involved shooting earlier Thursday that sent one man to the hospital. Police say they responded to a call of a man in crisis at a residence in the Tanoan Country Club Community in the heights.
One man is in the hospital in critical condition. Police say they responded to a call of a man in crisis at a home on the 9800 block of Greenbrier Road. Police say crisis intervention officers tried communicating with a man in his 20s and at one point, there was a confrontation and at least one officer shot that man in the home.
Police say the man is in the hospital Thursday night with critical injuries. Police would not say anything about the officer involved and did not know if the police have had previous interaction with this man. Police say a caller advised that his son, Max Mitnik, told them he was afraid he would hurt them and wanted to be taken to the hospital. Police said the caller stated his son had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, had not slept in two days, and had not been taking his medication.
Officials say when police arrived, Mitnik and his father were in the front yard of the residence. After speaking with Mitnik, he told police he no longer wanted to go to the hospital and wanted his parents to take him.
Mitnik then went back into the house. A short time after that, officers heard a woman saying “Help! He’s got a knife.” When police entered the home, Mitnik came out of the bathroom toward an officer. The officer fired at least one shot at Mitnik, hitting him.
This all happened in the middle of the day in a private, gated community. People who have lived there for years describe it as sad and unusual.
“I mean it is such a peaceful, quiet neighborhood,” neighbor Anoop Attreya said. “It is very safe. We can’t imagine anything happening here. We love this area, and it was just shocking.”
Initial police statements say a knife was found at the scene and the scene will be processed pending search warrants. “We will get more out to the public as we can. We ask for the public’s patience in trying to get further info and we will be as transparent as possible when this info is available,” Deputy Chief Harold Medina said.
Detectives are pursuing charges against Mitnik including aggravated assault on a police officer. New Mexico court records show that Mitnik did not have a criminal history.
